Jason Elam was so good for so long, he became the rare kicker who had a retirement press conference.

Jan Stenerud, the only pure kicker in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all but predicted such an event for Elam.

Go back to the beginning. Before the beginning of Elam’s 17-year NFL career that was celebrated today with his official retirement. Stenerud was retired and living in Kansas City in 1993 when he got a call from new Broncos coach Wade Phillips. Elam, who played collegiately at the University of Hawaii, was holding a tryout at the Georgia Tech campus.

Stenerud was immersed in the stadium design business — his company, HNTB Architects, later drew up the blueprints for Invesco Field of Mile High — and it was no problem for him to stop and watch Elam’s 30 minute tryout.

“Wade called me and asked what I thought,” Stenerud said. “I said, well, I don’t know exactly what the kid is made of, but from what I just saw, I see no reason why Jason can’t be one of the league’s top three kickers for the next 15 years. I’m not sure how close I got to being right but I don’t think I was off by much.”

Phillips went ahead and made the bold decision to use his third-round pick of the 1993 draft on the kicker from Hawaii. Elam made Stenerud’s scouting report prophetic.

Elam played 15 seasons for the Broncos, and scored at least 100 points in all of them. He made it 16 in a row in 2008 with the Atlanta Falcons. He had 26 game-winning or game-saving field goals. He not only was one of the top three kickers for 15 years, he finished fifth all-time in field goals (436) and points (1,983).

Elam turned 40 earlier this month — still young by proven kicker standards — but his physical struggles in recent years and enriched life away from the field led him to hang up his kicking shoe.

“I think it’s important for people not to find their identity in their job,” said Elam, who is husband to a former Broncos cheerleader, father of five children, an author of four books, a pilot, and active in ministry. “I think my identity is much bigger than that. Who’s to say that God doesn’t something bigger and better than football for me? I’m looking forward to the next chapter.”

He signed a one-day contract Wednesday with the Broncos so he could retire with the team.

He may have kicked around for another year or two but he had been battling pain in his left knee the last four or five years, and developed a left hip injury that required shots prior to every game in 2009 with the Falcons.

“I remember people asking me a long time ago, “When are you going to retire?”” Elam said. “I always said, As long it’s fun, as long as I’m feeling good and as long as I’m performing well.” All three of those are out the window. It wasn’t fun anymore because I couldn’t go out there and kick. The Falcons never made me practice because I couldn’t.”

In his farewell speech, Elam thanked 23 different sets of people, from the fans, family, media and former coaches to equipment people and field-turf people. He broke down after thanking former team pastor Bill Rader and again as he finished up by saying his farewell gathering was not just a celebration of a career, but a celebration of his relationships and friendships.

“He’s definitely going into the (Broncos’) Ring of Fame,” said Broncos owner Pat Bowlen. “I think he’s definitely a (Pro Football) Hall of Famer, but kickers getting into the Hall of Fame is damn near impossible but I’ll try to use some influence if I can to see that he gets there.”

For now only Stenerud among kickers has been immortalized. The greatest of them all also knew greatness when he saw it.

“I’m very proud of Jason,” Stenerud said. “The way he’s carried himself — I could tell from that workout he was a conscientious kid, which usually means strong work habits. He very much honored the class of kickers.”

Mike Klis was with The Denver Post from Jan. 1, 1998 before leaving in 2015 to join KUSA 9News. He covered the Rockies and Major League Baseball until the 2005 All-Star break, when he was asked to start covering the Broncos.

More in Sports

Head coach Vance Joseph said Monday that receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Isaiah McKenzie both suffered ankle sprains in the team’s loss to the New York Giants. The two will miss Sunday’s game in Los Angeles and be week-to-week thereafter.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Following Avalanche practice Monday at Bridgestone Arena, centers Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Jost both said they feel lucky. MacKinnon feels fortunate to have complete eyesight and Jost is happy to have escaped what could have been a broken leg.